When it comes to winter, Michelin Canada thinks it understands Canadian drivers, and results from a recent survey of attitudes and behaviors has identified five types of drivers.
According to Michelin, the driving population can be divided into:
Worrywarts (19% of drivers), who “lack confidence at the wheel and think that they are surrounded by drivers who are less cautious than them. They don’t find driving very pleasurable.”
When winter comes, Worrywarts “feel torn between their desire to buy quality winter tires (to ensure their safety) and their desire to save money; 27% say price is the main criteria when shopping for winter tires, higher than the survey average of 21%.
Daredevils (14% of drivers) “love thrilling experiences at the wheel and don’t believe that speeding causes accidents. They love their cars and look after them with care,” Michelin said.
“Daredevil drivers are more active outside the city compared to the average Canadian driver,” with 88% using their vehicle to visit friends and family and 31% traveling “out to the cottage.” Therefore, tire durability was a criteria more prevalent in this group.
The Fast and Confident (22% of drivers) “like feeling in control when they are at the wheel, but aren’t afraid to drive fast,” Michelins aid. “They are not intimidated by winter driving because they rarely get stressed at the wheel.”
Going fast means knowing how to stop, so Fast and Confident drivers chose stopping distance as a main criteria for winter tires.
Cautious Pragmatists (24%) “consider cars first and foremost as a method of transportation, a way to get from point A to point B. They are cautious at the wheel and follow their car manufacturer’s or mechanic’s maintenance recommendations.”
Therefore, 80% of Cautious Pragmatist drivers take the recommended maintenance work done each season more than the survey average of 5%, and Cautious Pragmatists (41%) chose traction as the main shopping criteria for winter tires, higher than the survey average of 35%.
Finally, the Aficionados (21%) “love the world of cars, enjoy reading specialized publications and know a lot about the characteristics of different cars,” Michelin Canada said. “Not a stranger to an active winter, more Aficionados (45%) drive out to participate in winter sports than the survey average (29%).” When it comes to winter tires, Aficionados value appearance (10%) more than the survey average (7%).